Portable grandstand



Feb. 26, 1952 c. J. HOLMES PORTABLE GRANDSTAND 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Nov. 15, 1945 Afro/mer Feb. 26, 1952 C, J. HOLMES 2,587,159

PORTABLE GRANDSTAND Filed Nov. 15, 1945 5 sheets-sheet 2 ,A TTOMEY Feb. 26, 1952 c. J. HOLMES PORTABLE GRANDSTAND 5 vSheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 13, 1945 c. J. HOLMES Feb. 26, 1952 PORTABLE GRANDSTAND I v5 sheets-sheet 4 Filed Nov. 15, 1945 INVENTOR. C V//V .././OLMES Feb. 26, 1952 C, J, HOLMES 2,587,159

PORTABLE GRANDSTAND Filed Nov. 13, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN V EN TOR. AL V//V J. HOL NES @www Patented Feb. 26, 1952 calvinnnolmesprerre nanterna.

1 Application November 13, 1945, Serial NoiZiUilS 'TheY present V"inventionvrelatest .to a portable` grandstand and itconsists in the combinations.

constructions and arrangements ofparts herein described and claimed, y

Generally :the .invention kcomprises aL--portabl grandstand including awheelsupported` platform,

a forwardly extending telescoping platform and a a rearwardlyr extending telescoping platforni.

Stringers are detachably secured to the. sidesA vof f thevv wheel supported platform andV eachzof the p telescoping platforms ,and extenddownwardly from one yside of theqsa-id `Platformsand 'HD-Q wardly from the other. for the VVouter 'ends .of theupwardly-:extend Props are 1 supplie-C1V ing. stringers :and rails are mounted atop'fl5 each of :the stringere. A. pair 'of supplemental platforms is provided Afor-each- .of thetele-f; Storing platforms :and for the wheel 'feigener-ted;t`v platforms and these'are normally mountedupon" the wheel supported platform Vin stacked-relate tio-n but are movabletofthe'rfrailsl mounted: awp` i' the stringers.

The apparatus when notfin use.

presentsa compact wheel-'supportedfmass which may be movedrfrom place :to placein l the; manner of a trailer 'but when in use provides-,a grande-- stand'vvhich is three .timesvthewidth and-.three times the length ofy the wheel-supported plat-jgform, Meansv is provided for `'quickly assembling and disassembling the apparatus'frcm one of its conditions to another.

'Figure 3 is :an vend .elevational view siinilagrto Figure 2 but taken from the opposite end ofthe apparatus and showin-g certain supplementary platforms forming.V partof the inventionin .their extended positions,

Figure 4is a-fragrnentary rear elevational view AillustratingI a prop` utilized inthe invention,

Figure 5 isvahplan view ,of the apparatusasit appears when in -nse asf-a grandstand,

, Figure .6 isa `fragmentary perspective view .of a supplemental platform utilized in the invention and illustrating vcertain ,collapsible seats which form a partof; the invention,

Figure 7 is a perspective' view, partly broken away, .ofa wheelsupportedA platform and a pair of telescopnsr platforms both forming par-ts of theinvention together with .Certainstringer's also Y formingpa-rts of .the invention mounted in-the positions .they assume when the apparatus' is utilizedas agrandstand.

Figure .Sis a sectional .View taken substantially along ,line .8-8 of Figure 7,

. Figure 9 -is.,asectiona1view taken along line -9-9 ofFigureS.

Figure. 10 is.-a, .view-similarvto Figurev 8 but showing the-apparatusvvin retracted position.

Figure ,111., isa. fragmentary perspective view of onecorner Aof-a telescoping platform forming It is accordingly an object lofthe inventioneto provide a novel portablegrandstand.

Another object ofi thev invention'is .toyprovide an apparatus of the character Setv forth -whieheis simple in construction, ComDarativelyinexpen-f sive tofmanufactu-re, easy tol .assemble and dis assemblel and nyet eifective and eicient in use.

, Another object'of the invention is the pizovision of an apparatus of `the character set 'forth which maybe assembled and disassembledas a grandstand with a minimum -of manpower effort,

A still further object of the invention ,is the provision ofan apparatus of. the character .set forth'in which various sections, fforming. parts" ofthe invention, may be moved into. and out of their grandstand positions by means ,of a caster and rail structure forming a part ,of the invention.

Other and furthervobjects of the invention will becomeapparent from a reading ofv the follow, ine specification taken intconiunction withthe drawings, in which:

Figure lis a side elevational view of'anem bodiment of the invention, y

Figure 2 is.anVend-'elevationalviewthereof,

a partot the invention,

Figure A1 2 is :an enlargedfragmentarysectional view. taken substantiallyi=salong line |2-.t2 of Figure. 5,

Figure 131 is; a fragmentary end elevational .view

of a supplementary platform forming a: part 4of the invention,

Figure 14f.is a lplan view of the. portion of the I invention illustrated in Figurel,

Figure liisva fragmentarysectional viewtaken substantiallyealong line |5-I5 of Figure 14,

Figure 1671s an lexploded perspective viewillustrating certain supporting members forming a part ofthe invention,

Figure 17 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional Figure 5 andfshowing. a certain seat structure in raised positionl Figure 18, isa view-similar to. Figure 17 but showing; the :seatstructure infcollapsed :ondition, and

Figure v19 .isfa sectional view ytaken along line `I 9--1 8. of Figure l12.

, Y,Referringl more; particularly to lthe drawings,

there-is showntherein-.accentral .or'Wheel-sup-l ported platform l0 1in` which `is telescopically mountedy arearwardly extensible telescopic platform I I and a forwardly extensible telescopic platform I2, the latter being telescopically receivable in the platform'I I when the grandstand is in co1- lapsed condition.

The platform Ill is supported at one end by permanently mounted supporting wheels I3 mounted upon an axle I4 carried at the lower end of a bracket I5 axed to the underside of the platform I0 and at the other end.the platform I0 is supported by retractable wheels I6 which are mounted at the free end of a yoke I1 which is pivotally connected, as indicated at I8, to the underside of the platform I0.

Each of the platforms I6, II and I2, when in their extended positions may be supported by means of a jack I9 at each corner thereof. Each of the platforms I0, II and I2 is provided with'a.

plurality of spaced slots 20 adjacent each of its longitudinal edges, these slots 20 being three in number along each side of each of the platlforms mentioned in the present'showing of the invention, i ,l Y'

For one of the aligned sides of the extended platforms I0, II and I2'there is provided a'series of downwardly and outwardly extending stringers 2I `each of which jis provided with an upwardly extending hook 22 which is engageable in one of theslots 20. Each of the stringers 2I has affixed to its top side a trackway23 provided with an abutment 24 at its outer end and with a pivoted section 25 at its inner end. The pivoted Section 2 5 is adapted to rest against the upper edge of its associated platform when Vthe Stringer hook 22 is engaged in its slot 20.

For the other aligned edges of the platforms I0, II and I2 there is provided a series of stringers 26 which are adapted to extend upwardly and rearwardly, as shown, for example, in Figure 3 ofthe drawings. The stringers 2 6 are provided at their inner ends with upwardly extending hooks 21' which are each engageable in one of the slots 26 and the outer end of each of the stringers 26 is -provided with a propgenerally indicatv ings.

A 4 ing 44' and the bracket 43, which is U-shaped in horizontal cross sectional area has pivoted thereto, as indicated at 45, a U-shaped extension 46 provided with a pair of openings 41 adjacent its outer end. A bolt 48 is provided and is adapted to be extended through the openings 41 and the opening 44 to lock the support members 4I when the same are moved to their vertical positions, as shown, forexample, in Figure 3 of the draw- In operation, it will be apparent that the entire apparatus, when in collapsed condition, may be drawn from place to place by a tractor or the like in the manner of a conventional trailer, the wheels I3 being utilized for supporting the same when in such positio and the wheels I6 being retracted to :the dotted line position shown in Figure l at this time.

ed at 23 and best illustrated in Figure 4 and which props 28 each consist `of a pair of downwardly and outwardly extending legs 29 interconnected adjacent their upper ends with a cross bar 30 and interconnected adjacent their lower ends by a cross bar 3l. A- trackway 32 is affixed to' the top side of each of the stringers 26 and is provided with an abutment 33 at the outer end thereof and with a pivoted portion 34 at the inner end thereof, the latter resting against the side of the associated platforms I0', II and I2 as the case may be.

Six supplementary platforms '36'Y are provi-ded and each has affixed "upon the bottom'thereof spaced transversely extending rows of casters 31. When the apparatus is not in use, the supplementary platforms 36 may be stacked upon the wheel supported platform I0, "as best indicated in Figures l and 2 ofthe drawings. A pair of hydraulically operated lifting arms 38 is mounted upon each of thelongitudinal sides of the wheel supported platforms III. vThe liftingarms are supplied with hydraulic power through a cylinder 39 and suitable controls (not shown) Horizontally extending rows of collapsible seats are mounted atop each of the supplementary platforms 'and'each `row is provided with a plurality of support members-4I Aeach pivot-ally mounted, as indicated at 42 in a bracket 43 which brackets are, inl turn, affixed to the upper side 'of the platforms 36 each of the support members 4I is provided with atransversely extending open- 'its 'When, however, it is desired to extend the apparatus and utilize the same as a grandstand, it is only necessary to first extend forwardly the telescopic platform I2 and rearwardly the telescopic platform II after which the jacks I9 may be moved downwardly in conventional manner to securely anchor the apparatus to the ground. Thereafter the stringers 2I may be attached to the platforms I0, II and I2 along one of the aligned edges thereof and the stringers 26 attached to ltheother aligned edges of the platforms'l, I I and I2 by means of the hooks 22 and 21, respectively', and the props '28 mounted beneath the outer portions of the stringers 26 to support the latter.

Thereafter the hydraulic lifting arms may be engaged beneath that one of the supplementary platforms 36 which is next to the bottom and hydraulically apply pressure to lift the same and thoseplatforms' which are :mounted thereover thus freeing the lowermost of the supplementary platforms 36 whereupon it maybe rolled by means of casters 31 either forwardly or rearwardly to a position upon the platform I2 or the platform I I as the case may be and thereafter the same may be rolled outwardly `and downwardly upon the trackways 23 until the abutments 24 prevent further outward movement or may be rolled upwardly and outwardly upon the trackways 32 until the abutments 33 prevent further outward movement. This procedure may befrepeated Vuntil all of the supplementary platforms 36 are in their Adesignated positions as shown in Figure 5 of the drawingsafter which the rows of seats may be moved to their operative positions and locked in such positions by means of the bolts 48 aforesaid.

While but one'foim of the invention has been shown and described herein, it will be-readily apparent 'to those skilled in the art that many minor-modificationsV may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: f

l. A portable grandstand comprising a wheelsupported platform, telescoping platforms extensible forwardly y'and rearwardly from the wheel-supported platform, stringers detachably secured to the sides of vsaid platforms and extending laterallytherefrom, a pair of supplemental platformsfor each of the telescopic platforms and for the wheel-supported platform removably mounted upon the stringers, one at each side of the said Iwheel-supported and telescoping platfor'rnsfthe laterally extending supplemental platforms being adapted to support seats, said supplemental platforms on one side of the wheel-supported and telescoping platforms declining from the edges thereof to the ground and the supplemental platforms at the other side extending angularly and upwardly from the edges of said wheel-supported platform and said telescoping platforms and props for supporting the stringers on said other side of the wheel-supported and telescoping platforms. I'

2. A portable grandstand comprising a wheel-supported platform, telescopng platforms extensible forwardly and rearwardly from the Wheel-supported platform, stringers detachably secured to the sides of the said platforms and extending laterally therefrom, said stringers at one side of said platforms extending angularly downwardly therefrom and said stringers at the other side of said platforms extending angularly and upwardly therefrom, props for the outer ends of the stringers along one side of said grandstand,

rails mounted atop each of said stringers, a pair 20 of supplemental platforms for each of the telescopic platforms and for the wheel-supported platform, removably mounted upon the rails, one at each side of said wheel-supported and telescoping platforms, and casters affixed to the bottom of each of said supplemental platforms and engageable in said rails.

CALVIN J. HOLMES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name l Date 1,301,107 Curtis Apr. 22, 1919 1,433,547 Hadden Oct. 31, 1922 2,127,580 Bartholowsky Aug. 23, 1938 2,136,130 Gorlenko Nov. 8, 1938 2,298,530 Fletcher Oct. 13, 1942 

